Effects of carcass weight, sex and breed composition on meat cuts and carcass trait in finishing pigs

Abstract

Pork cutting is a very important processing in promoting economic appreciation across the swine business chain. The goal of this research is to determine the proportion and weight of meat cuts, as well as to analyze the effects of carcass weight, sex and breed composition on meat cuts. Simultaneously, we investigate the correlation between meat cuts, carcass traits and meat quality traits. To assess 17 meat cut traits, 12 carcass traits and 6 meat quality traits, we sample 2 012 pigs from four breeds, including Landrace (LD), Yorkshire (YK), Landrace Yorkshire (LY), and Duroc Landrace Yorkshire (DLY). The results showed that carcass weight, sex and breed composition have significant effects on the weight and proportion of most meat cuts. The proportion of cuts for muscle and bone decrease as carcass weight grows, whereas the proportion of cuts for fat increases. Moreover, the thickness of four-point backfat was significantly increasing (P0.05). The effects of carcass weight, sex and breed composition on the meat cuts, meat quality and carcass traits are breed and growth stage dependent. It also reflects the asynchrony of the growth curve between different sexes. Our results laid an important foundation for breeding pig carcass cuts and composition.

Keywords

• carcass
• meat cuts
• carcass traits
• commercial pig
• meat quality